Wix is easier to start with. WordPress is better to be stuck with. If the site is a temporary placeholder, Wix will do. If it is the thing your business depends on for the next decade, the reason to choose WordPress is that you own it and can take it with you. We build on WordPress, so read this knowing where we stand.
Key Takeaways
- Wix wins on speed to launch. If you need something live this weekend with no help, it is the easier road.
- WordPress wins on ownership. You can move hosts, change agencies, and export everything. On Wix you cannot take the site with you.
- The lock-in is the real decision. Everything else is a feature comparison that will be out of date next year.
- WordPress asks more of you. Updates, hosting, and backups are your responsibility, or somebody you pay.
- We are not neutral. Connect Media Agency builds on WordPress and custom sites only, and that is a real bias you should weigh.
In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between WordPress and Wix. We’ll look at their website building process, design flexibility, e-commerce features, marketing tools, hosting options, and scalability. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of which platform is better suited for your small business needs. It is the platform conversation we have at the start of every Sherman website design project.
What are WordPress and Wix?
When it comes to choosing between WordPress and Wixfor your small business website, it’s crucial to understand each platform’s key features and target audience. Let’s take a closer look at what these two popular website builders have to offer. It is the comparison we walk through with Temple, TX web design clients at kickoff.
WordPress Features
WordPress is a robust Content Management System (CMS) that gives users total control over building and managing their sites. It’s trusted by large companies like NASA and Rolling Stone, making it a powerful choice for businesses of all sizes. Here are some standout features of WordPress:
- Flexibility and Customization: With WordPress, you have complete freedom to build a site from scratch. You can choose what to install and add, making your site unique in every way.
- Extensive Plugin Library: WordPress boasts over 50,000 plugins, many of which are free. These plugins allow you to enhance your site’s functionality, from security and speed to SEO optimization.
- Blogging Capabilities: WordPress is a favorite among bloggers due to its excellent publishing tools. You can easily schedule and revise blog posts, making it ideal for content-heavy websites.
- SEO-Friendly: WordPress is designed with SEO in mind, giving your site a head start in search engine rankings. However, you’ll need some knowledge to make the most of its SEO capabilities.
- Community Support: WordPress has a huge community of users who are familiar with the platform. You can access global support forums for help and advice.
Wix Features
Wix, on the other hand, is a website builder designed to be versatile and easy to use, regardless of your familiarity with web design or coding. Here’s what Wix brings to the table:
- User-Friendly Interface: Wix offers a drag-and-drop editor, making it easy for beginners to create professional-looking websites without coding knowledge.
- AI Website Builder: Wix’s AI can design a custom website based on your business goals, complete with content and necessary business apps.
- Template Variety: With over 900 website templates, Wix provides a wide range of design options for different industries and purposes.
- Built-in Features: Wix comes with a rich set of features, including website analytics, marketing tools, and ecommerce capabilities.
- App Market: Wix’s App Market offers over 750 pre-vetted apps that integrate seamlessly with your website, allowing you to add various functionalities.
Target Audience
WordPress is best suited for:
- Users looking for complete control and flexibility in website design and functionality
- Businesses that need a scalable platform as they grow
- Content creators and bloggers who prioritize publishing tools
- Those with some technical knowledge or willingness to learn
Wix is ideal for:
- Small business owners and entrepreneurs who want a quick and easy website setup
- Users with little to no coding experience
- Those looking for an all-in-one solution with built-in marketing and ecommerce tools
- Freelancers, consultants, and service-oriented businesses
Both WordPress and Wix offer ecommerce capabilities, making them suitable for online stores. However, Wix might be the better option for small businesses looking to set up an online store quickly and easily.
In the end, the choice between WordPress and Wix depends on your specific needs, technical skills, and long-term goals for your small business website. Consider these factors carefully to make the best decision for your online presence.
What is it like to build on each?
When it comes to creating a website for your small business, WordPress and Wix offer unique approaches. Let’s explore how these platforms handle the website-building process, focusing on template selection, customization tools, and content management.
Template Selection
Wix provides an impressive array of over 900 professionally designed templates, all of which are free to use. These templates cater to various industries and purposes, making it easy for you to find one that suits your small business needs. The templates are well-organized, allowing for quick selection and customization.
WordPress, on the other hand, boasts a vast library of themes, including both free and premium options. With over 30,000 themes available, WordPress gives you an extensive selection to choose from. This wide variety means you’re more likely to find a theme that aligns perfectly with your vision for your small business website.
Customization Tools
Wix excels at user-friendly customization. Its intuitive drag-and-drop editor allows you to see changes in real time without switching views. This visual approach to website building is excellent for beginners and those who prefer a straightforward design process.
The Wix Editor offers two main panels for customization. The Site Design panel lets you choose color and text themes, change page backgrounds, and set transitions. The Add panel allows you to incorporate themed elements that reinforce your site’s look throughout. This setup ensures consistency in your website’s design and makes it easy to create a cohesive look for your small business.
WordPress takes a different approach to customization. While it doesn’t have a built-in drag-and-drop editor, many themes and plugins offer this functionality. WordPress themes generally offer deep customization options, allowing you to change nearly all design aspects. However, this level of customization often requires more technical knowledge or willingness to learn.
For those comfortable with coding, WordPress allows you to use custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript without limitations. This flexibility gives you complete control over your website’s look and functionality, which can be beneficial for small businesses with specific design requirements.
Content Management
When it comes to content management, both platforms offer robust solutions but with different approaches.
Wix provides an intuitive tool for visual page design. You can add various elements such as text, images, and media by simply dragging and dropping them onto your pages. The platform also offers built-in features that cater to bloggers, making it easy to create and manage blog posts without any coding knowledge.
WordPress, originally designed as a blogging platform, excels in content management. Its block-based editor, Gutenberg, allows you to create and organize content easily. While it may have a steeper learning curve than Wix, WordPress offers unparalleled flexibility in content creation and management.
Both platforms provide learning resources to help you navigate the website building process. Wix offers an extensive knowledge base, tutorials, and videos to guide you through website creation and customization. It also has a support center with FAQs and a community forum where you can get help from other Wix users.
WordPress is one of the most widely used website-building platforms. It has a vast community and extensive documentation. The WordPress Codex serves as a comprehensive guide covering everything from installation to advanced customization.
In conclusion, the website-building process in WordPress vs. Wix differs significantly. Wix offers a more visual, beginner-friendly approach with its drag-and-drop editor and pre-designed templates. WordPress, while requiring more technical knowledge, provides greater flexibility and customization options. Your choice between the two will depend on your small business’s specific needs, your technical skills, and your long-term website goals.
Which gives you more design control?
When it comes to design and flexibility, both WordPress and Wix offer unique approaches that cater to different needs and skill levels. Let’s explore how these platforms handle theme options, mobile responsiveness, and custom CSS capabilities.
Theme Options
Wix provides an impressive selection of over 800 free templates, professionally designed to suit various industries. These templates are responsive and offer a great starting point for your small business website. You can easily customize the font and color scheme to match your brand. However, it’s important to note that once you’ve chosen a template, you can’t switch to another one, which can be limiting if you want to change your site’s look later on.
WordPress, on the other hand, offers thousands of free and paid themes. While the quality can vary, this vast selection gives you more options to find a theme that aligns perfectly with your vision. Unlike Wix, WordPress allows you to switch between themes, giving you more flexibility as your business evolves. However, the sheer number of choices might be overwhelming for beginners.
Mobile Responsiveness
In today’s mobile-first world, having a website that looks great on all devices is crucial. Wix uses a mobile-first design approach, ensuring that all its templates and design elements are responsive and optimized for mobile devices. The platform also offers mobile-specific design options, allowing you to create a separate mobile version of your site or hide certain elements on smaller screens.
WordPress is also designed with mobile responsiveness in mind. Most WordPress themes are responsive, automatically adjusting their layout to look good on different screen sizes. Additionally, WordPress offers various mobile-specific plugins to optimize the mobile experience for your visitors further.
Custom CSS
Custom CSS capabilities can be a game-changer for those who want more control over their website’s design. Contrary to popular belief, Wix does allow the use of custom HTML and CSS through what they call a Custom Element. This feature gives you some flexibility to tweak your site’s design beyond the standard options. However, it’s worth noting that Wix doesn’t provide support for custom elements that they have not designed.
WordPress, known for its flexibility, allows unrestricted use of custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This means you have complete control over your website’s design and functionality. If you’re comfortable with coding, you can customize every aspect of your site to create a truly unique online presence for your small business.
Both platforms have strengths in terms of design and flexibility. Wix offers a more straightforward approach with its drag-and-drop editor and pre-designed templates, making it ideal for beginners or those who want a quick setup. WordPress, while requiring more technical knowledge, provides greater customization options and flexibility, making it suitable for businesses with specific design requirements or those planning for long-term growth.
Ultimately, your choice between WordPress and Wix will depend on your technical skills, design preferences, and the level of control you want over your website’s look and functionality. Consider these factors carefully to determine which platform best aligns with your small business needs and goals.
Which is better for ecommerce?
When it comes to setting up an online store for your small business, both WordPress and Wix offer robust e-commerce solutions. Let’s compare their features in terms of online store setup, product management, and payment processing.
Online Store Setup
Wix provides a straightforward approach to creating an online store. You’ll need to install a store app, with popular options being the Online Store by Ecwid (free but limited) or the eCommerce Store by POWR Wix Stores (available with a business subscription). Wix’s business subscriptions start at $29 per month and include features like online payments, Google Analytics, and generous storage space.
WordPress, on the other hand, requires more customization to set up an online store. You can use a custom theme or a plugin like WooCommerce. WordPress.com offers over 30 compatible store themes, while WordPress.org users have access to additional themes and plugins. The WordPress.com business plan, priced at $25 per month, includes automatic backups but doesn’t allow online payments. For that, you’ll need the eCommerce plan at $45 per month.
Product Management
Wix shines in product management with its user-friendly interface. You can easily add product images, information, pricing, variations, and inventory details. The platform allows you to add up to 1,000 variants for each product and import/export CSV files for bulk product management. Wix also offers dropshipping options and the ability to sell digital products or subscriptions.
WordPress, particularly with WooCommerce, provides similar product management capabilities. You can add product images, information, pricing, variations, and more. While it may have a steeper learning curve, WordPress offers extensive customization options for product management, making it suitable for businesses with complex product catalogs.
Payment Processing
Wix offers built-in payment options through Wix Payments, which allows you to accept credit card payments and various other methods like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and iDEAL. The platform also integrates with popular payment gateways such as PayPal and Stripe, giving you flexibility in choosing your payment processor.
WordPress, especially when using WooCommerce, integrates with a wide array of payment gateways, including industry leaders like PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.Net. WordPress’s open-source nature allows for more payment integration options, which can be beneficial for businesses with specific payment processing needs.
Both platforms support features like abandoned cart recovery, automatic discounts at checkout, and back-in-stock notifications. However, Wix’s all-in-one solution might be more appealing for small businesses looking for a quick and easy setup, while WordPress offers more flexibility and customization options.
When comparing WordPress vs. Wix for e-commerce functionality, consider your technical skills, specific business needs, and long-term goals. Wix’s built-in e-commerce features provide a more streamlined, beginner-friendly approach. While WordPress requires more setup, it offers greater flexibility and scalability, making it a strong choice for businesses planning significant growth or requiring advanced customization.
Ultimately, both platforms can create effective online stores for small businesses. Your choice will depend on your comfort with technology, desire for customization, and the complexity of your e-commerce needs.
Which is better for SEO?
When it comes to promoting your small business website, both WordPress and Wix offer a range of marketing and SEO tools. Let’s compare how these platforms handle built-in SEO features, email marketing, and social media integration.
Built-in SEO Features
Wix’s SEO Wiz provides a user-friendly approach to SEO. This tool guides you through creating an SEO plan for your website, helps with keyword selection, and connects you to Google Analytics and Search Console. Wix covers the SEO basics, allowing you to set meta titles, descriptions, headings, and custom URLs. You can also add alt text to images, create 301 redirects, and integrate social media sharing options.
WordPress, on the other hand, is known for its SEO-friendly structure. It offers extensive customization options through various plugins like Yoast SEO and All in One SEO. These tools let you optimize your site extensively, giving you more control over your SEO strategy. WordPress also allows you to edit permalinks, making your URLs more SEO-friendly.
When comparing WordPress vs. Wix for SEO, WordPress gives you more control but requires more technical knowledge. Wix offers a more streamlined, beginner-friendly approach with its built-in features.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is crucial for engaging with your audience and driving traffic to your site. Wix offers a free email marketing tool that lets you create and edit professional emails. You can implement automation to streamline the process and track advanced analytics, making it easier to manage your email campaigns.
WordPress doesn’t have a built-in email marketing tool, but it integrates well with various plugins and third-party services. For instance, Omnisend, a top-tier email marketing tool, integrates seamlessly with WordPress, especially for WooCommerce users. It offers features like automated marketing campaigns, customer segmentation, and personalized content.
Both platforms provide effective email marketing solutions, but Wix’s built-in tool might be more appealing for beginners, while WordPress offers more flexibility through its plugins.
Social Media Integration
Social media plays a vital role in modern marketing strategies. Wix focuses heavily on social media integration, making it easy to connect your website with various social platforms. You can add social media buttons, share your content directly to social networks, and even display your social media feeds on your website.
WordPress also offers robust social media integration options, primarily through plugins. These plugins allow you to automatically share your content on social media, display social share buttons, and embed social media feeds on your site.
When comparing WordPress vs Wix for social media integration, both platforms offer strong capabilities. Wix might have a slight edge with its built-in features, while WordPress provides more customization options through its vast plugin library.
In conclusion, both WordPress and Wix offer powerful marketing and SEO tools to help your small business website succeed. Wix provides a more streamlined, all-in-one solution with its built-in features, making it ideal for beginners or those who prefer a quick setup. WordPress, with its extensive plugin options and customization capabilities, offers more flexibility and control, which is suitable for businesses with specific marketing needs or those planning for significant growth. Your choice between WordPress and Wix will depend on your technical skills, marketing goals, and the level of control you want over your website’s promotion strategies.
How does hosting differ?
WordPress and Wix take different approaches to hosting and domain options. Let’s explore how these platforms handle web hosting, domain registration, and site migration.
Web Hosting
Wix simplifies the hosting process by including it in their service. When you create a website with Wix, you don’t have to worry about finding a separate hosting provider. This all-in-one approach means your site stays online without any extra effort on your part. Wix takes care of the technical aspects, including security measures, which are automatically updated without your intervention.
WordPress, on the other hand, requires you to arrange your hosting. While this might seem like an extra step, it gives you more control over your hosting environment. Many hosting providers offer WordPress-specific plans, with prices ranging from $3 to $30+ per month, depending on your needs. A popular choice is Bluehost, which offers WordPress hosting starting at $2.95 per month and includes additional benefits like a free domain for the first year and enhanced security features.
Domain Registration
With Wix, you have the option to use a free Wix subdomain (yoursite.wix.com) or register a custom domain. If you choose a premium plan, Wix offers a free domain for the first year. After that, domain renewal typically costs between $10 to $20 annually. Wix also provides private domain registration to protect your personal information.
WordPress doesn’t handle domain registration directly. You’ll need to purchase a domain separately, which usually costs between $10 to $50 per year. However, many WordPress hosting providers, like Bluehost, include a free domain for the first year in their hosting packages. This can help you save money and simplify the process of setting up your website.
Site Migration
If you’re considering moving your existing website to either platform, it’s important to understand their migration capabilities.
Wix offers a handy blog migration tool that allows you to transfer your WordPress blog to Wix with just a click. This feature makes it easy for WordPress users to switch to Wix without losing their content. However, keep in mind that this tool is specifically designed for blog content and may not transfer all aspects of a complex WordPress site.
WordPress, being an open-source platform, offers more flexibility when it comes to site migration. Numerous plugins and tools are available that can help you migrate your site from various platforms to WordPress. However, the process might require more technical knowledge compared to Wix’s one-click solution.
When comparing WordPress vs Wix in terms of hosting and domain options, each platform has its strengths. Wix provides a more streamlined, beginner-friendly approach with its all-inclusive hosting and domain services. This can be particularly appealing for small businesses looking for a hassle-free setup. WordPress, while requiring more setup, offers greater flexibility and control over your hosting environment and domain management.
Your choice between WordPress and Wix will depend on your technical skills, budget, and specific needs. If you prefer a simple, all-in-one solution where everything is handled for you, Wix might be the better choice. On the other hand, if you want more control over your hosting environment and don’t mind managing these aspects yourself, WordPress could be the way to go.
Remember, both platforms can create effective websites for small businesses. When making your decision, consider your long-term goals, technical capabilities, and budget.
Which one grows with you?
When comparing WordPress vs Wix for your small business, it’s crucial to consider how each platform handles growth and scalability. Let’s explore their capabilities in traffic handling, feature expansion, and third-party integrations.
Traffic Handling
As your business grows, so does your website traffic. Wix claims to offer fast page load speeds through its proprietary hosting platform, which is optimized for the platform’s templates and design elements. However, the page load speed of a Wix website can be affected by the number and size of elements on the page, as well as the use of external apps and integrations.
WordPress, on the other hand, gives you more control over your hosting environment. This means you can choose a hosting provider that can handle high traffic volumes and optimize your site’s performance. Many WordPress-specific hosting plans offer features like caching and content delivery networks (CDNs) to improve load times and handle traffic spikes effectively.
Feature Expansion
Both WordPress and Wix offer ways to expand your website’s features as your business grows. Wix provides a selection of tools called plug-ins, apps, and add-ons through its App Market. These can enhance your website with additional functionality like contact forms, online booking, and social media integration. Some of these tools are free, while others require a fee.
WordPress shines in this area with its massive selection of plugins. With over 55,000 free and premium plugins available, you can easily add new features to your site without manipulating any code. Whether you need to create a landing page, collect visitor emails, or add a table, there’s likely a plugin that matches your needs.
For e-commerce functionality, WordPress integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce, a powerful plugin used by over 40% of e-commerce sites. It allows you to display products, fulfill orders, receive payments in multiple currencies, and automatically calculate tax by region. You can further enhance its capabilities with additional WooCommerce plugins.
Third-party Integrations
Both platforms offer third-party integration options, but WordPress takes the lead. Wix’s App Market provides a curated selection of apps that integrate easily with your website. These apps are categorized based on business goals and topics, making it simple to find what you need.
WordPress, however, offers a vast array of third-party integrations through its plugin library. This open-source nature means that developers worldwide can create features for WordPress, resulting in an extensive selection of plugins for various purposes. From technical SEO extensions to all-in-one security packages, you’ll find plugins to customize your website in countless ways.
For marketing and growth, WordPress users can install plugins like Yoast SEO, which helps improve how articles appear in search results, insert internal links, and redirect old pages to new ones. There’s also the free HubSpot for e-commerce plugin that lets you track visitors and lead them into your sales funnel.
In conclusion, when comparing WordPress vs. Wix for scalability and growth, both platforms offer solutions but with different approaches. Wix provides a more streamlined, all-in-one solution that’s easier to set up and manage, making it suitable for small businesses looking for quick growth without much technical involvement. WordPress, with its extensive customization options and plugin ecosystem, offers greater flexibility and control, making it ideal for businesses with specific needs or those planning for significant long-term growth. Your choice will depend on your technical skills, specific business requirements, and long-term goals.
So which should you actually choose?
Start with our bias, because you should weigh it. Connect Media Agency builds on WordPress and custom sites. We do not build on Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify. That is a genuine conflict of interest in an article like this one, and you are entitled to read what follows with it in mind.
With that said, the honest answer is that the feature comparison is mostly a distraction. Both platforms can produce a decent small business website in 2026, and any specific advantage either holds today will probably have shifted by next year. The decision that still matters in five years is ownership.
On WordPress the site is yours. You can move it to a different host, hand it to a different agency, export the content, and keep going. If you fall out with your developer, you keep the website. On a hosted platform like Wix the site lives on their system and cannot be lifted off it. Leaving means rebuilding, and you will discover that on the day you most want to leave.
So the sensible split looks like this. Choose Wix when the site is a placeholder, a personal project, or something you need live this weekend without paying anybody. Choose WordPress when the website is a business asset you expect to grow, integrate with other systems, and still be running in a decade.
The cost of getting this wrong is asymmetric, which is the part people miss. Starting on WordPress when Wix would have done wastes a bit of setup effort. Starting on Wix when you needed WordPress means rebuilding the site from scratch later, usually at the exact moment the business is busy and the site is finally working.
If WordPress is the right answer for you, that is what we do. See WordPress web design and website design and development. If Wix is genuinely the better fit for your situation, use Wix. We would rather tell you that than sell you something you do not need.
FAQs
1. Which platform is better for small businesses, WordPress or Wix?
Wix is generally the more user-friendly option with a more affordable cost structure suitable for most small businesses, though it offers limited customization. WordPress, while potentially more complex to manage, provides greater flexibility, control, and opportunities for expansion as your business grows.
2. Why should one prefer WordPress over Wix?
WordPress stands out due to its superior customization capabilities. It powers a significant portion of the internet and offers access to tens of thousands of plugins that significantly extend its functionality beyond what Wix can offer.
3. Between Wix and WordPress, which platform tends to be more costly?
While Wix offers a free plan, it comes with limitations, such as a branded subdomain and advertisements. To eliminate these, you must opt for premium plans starting at USD 16.00/month. WordPress itself is free, but it requires paid web hosting and domain registration.
4. Which is more secure, Wix or WordPress?
Both Wix and WordPress offer robust security measures to protect websites from cyber threats. Wix includes more built-in security features, whereas WordPress allows users more control over their site’s security through additional security plugins and regular updates.
5. I’m starting an export company and need a basic website for inquiries and business promotion without e-commerce. Is Wix a good choice despite some negative reviews?
Wix is an affordable option for creating a basic website for business inquiries and promotions. While there are mixed reviews online, Wix is user-friendly and cost-effective for businesses that do not require advanced features like e-commerce. It’s important to evaluate both positive and negative feedback to see if it aligns with your specific business needs.
